Chapter 5: THE CURRICULUM OF A
COURSE IN MIRACLES

55) Who gave the title A Course
in Miracles, and why?

The title was given by Jesus. The scribing
to Helen began with the words: "This is a course in miracles," and throughout
the dictation this is how Jesus referred to the material. While the initial
shock value of the title may attract us, and can therefore be possibly
used as a justification for its use, the real reason for the title rests
on the fact that the entire Course is focused on helping the student learn
and understand what the miracle is, and how to apply it in one's personal
life. Jesus' focus in his curriculum is on correction, specifically on
how the Holy Spirit reminds us that we have a mind and that this mind is
extremely powerful. It was the mind that made the problem of separation,
and only it, joined with the Holy Spirit, can accept correction.

Near the beginning of the text, in fact,
Jesus emphasized this point to Helen (and to all future students) in stating
that the purpose of his course was to have her recognize the "power of
your own thinking" (T-2.VII.1:5). It is the miracle that specifically accomplishes
this, by recalling to students of A Course in Miracles
that it is
their minds that have made up their problems (not to mention the
entire physical universe), and therefore, again, it is only their minds
that can change this. The miracle thus reminds us that we are the dreamers
of our dreams, and that by joining with Jesus or the Holy Spirit we can
accept a change from the pain that dreams have brought. As Jesus states
later in the text:

The miracle does not awaken
you, but merely shows you who the dreamer is. It teaches you there
is a choice of dreams while you are still asleep....

The miracle establishes you dream a
dream, and that its content is not true....

The miracle returns the cause of fear
to you [the mind] who made it (T-28.II.4:2-3; 7:1; 11:1)

Reproduced with the kind permission of Gloria and
Kenneth
Wapnick and the Foundation for A Course in Miracles